Jordan

02 Jan 2019; MEMO: Jordan’s National Electricity Company (NEPCO) announced yesterday that it has started receiving natural gas from Israel’s Leviathan offshore natural gas field in implementation of the agreement signed between the two sides in 2016.

NEPCO said in a statement that the experimental pumping will continue for three months under the technical and contractual terms between the two sides. It gave no further details.

AMMAN, Dec 19 (NNN-PETRA) – France signed some agreements with Jordan, agreeing to provide the latter with a total of 250 million euros (277 million U.S. dollars) in soft loans.

The soft loans will be used to develop the judiciary and water sectors, and reconstruct the sewage system in Balqa governorate, said Jordan’s Ministry of Planning and International Cooperation.

The first agreement entails a soft loan of 150 million euros, to fund the development of the water sector.

16 Dec 2019; MEMO: Jordan is expected to witness a wave of popular protests as the implementation of a $10 billion gas deal with Israel looms on the horizon. Activists and lawmakers in the Hashemite Kingdom have been calling on the government to cancel the agreement with Israel, saying that the US has forced Jordan to sign the deal despite its economic and moral prejudices.

09 Dec 2019; MEMO: The Jordanian House of Representatives agreed to refer two former ministers to court on charges of abusing their job jurisdictions.

This came during a session held by the parliament, on Sunday, as 119 members (out of 130 deputies) voted to approve the permission to prosecute the former Minister of Public Works and Housing Sami Halasa and former Minister of Environment Taher Al-Shakhshir, reported Anadolu Agency.

02 Dec 2019; MEMO: The court case of an Israeli who infiltrated Jordan last month began today, the Petra news agency said.

Petra reported an official source saying: “The Israeli citizen Konstantin Kotov, who infiltrated the kingdom’s soil last month, was turned to Jordan’s state security court on charges of illegally entering the kingdom and possessing drugs with intent of using them.”

AMMAN, Nov 28 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordan, on Wednesday, received 20 military vehicles, as a grant from France, it was reported.

The vehicles were handed over to Jordan, at a ceremony in the capital, Amman, where assistant for the chairman of joint chief of staff for planning and organisation, Hilal Khawaldeh, voiced appreciation for France and said, the grant reflects the deep ties between the two countries.

He also voiced keenness on increasing military cooperation with France.

26 Nov 2019; MEMO: The Foreign Minister of Jordan said on Monday that Israel will pay the price for its disregard for the international community and international law, Quds Press has reported. Ayman Al-Safadi made his comment during an emergency meeting of the Arab Foreign Ministers in Amman.

21 Nov 2019; MEMO: Jordan’s Interior Ministry has cancelled the “Interfaith Peace” conference scheduled to begin today because Israeli representatives were due to take part.

The Governor of Amman, Saad Shehab, announced the cancellation of the conference “Interfaith Peace”, which was organised by the United Initiative for Religions Working in Jordan.

AMMAN, Nov 14 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, said that, the Israeli occupation was the root cause of conflict and violence.

“War on Gaza would not bring security to Israel. Resolving the conflict on the basis of the two-state solution, under international law, will guarantee the right to security for all,” Safadi said.

“The international community must act to end aggression and create horizons for the two-state solution,” he added.

MMAN, Nov 12 (NNN-PETRA) – Jordanian foreign minister, said on Monday that, the country’s ambassador to Israel will return to Tel Aviv, after having been recalled over Israeli continued detention of two Jordanians.

Ayman Safadi made the announcement at a press conference, where he said, the ambassador will return to Israel on Tuesday (today) or Wednesday (tomorrow).

Jordan is committed to the peace treaty with Israel and peace is a strategic Arab option, he noted.